The TWU Institute of Health Sciences- Houston is requesting EARDA support to enhance the Houston Center's progress in promoting biomedical and behavioral science research activity among faculty and graduate students. The enhancement plan will be directed by Dr. Sandra K. Goodnough Hanneman, who participated in the EA Program in 1992. Over the three years of grant support, the plan provides for strengthening the administrative infrastructure for research and for increasing the quality of faculty research projects. The goal of the plan is to have a sufficient number of faculty externally funded by FY 98 to support successful competition for predoctoral fellowships. The methods proposed for achieving this goal include (1) part-time release of the EA from the day-to- day management responsibilities (so that she can enhance her effectiveness as the institutional focal point in promoting research activity) by hiring a 50 percent research administrator to supervise the daily operations of the Office of Research,(2) adding data entry support capability, (3) providing methods consultation for senior and junior investigators and doctoral students, and (5) supporting faculty pilot projects. With guidance and support from the institution's EA Advisory committee, Dr. Hanneman has the institutional authority to implement the research development plan. Evaluation of the research development plan will be done on an annual basis with the use of existing and new tracking systems.